End of the USMC AMTRACs

[LittleLebowski]

I hated amtracks. It was like riding in a smallish steel box with uncomfortable benches, in the dark, with a pervading stink of diesel Worst of all was getting shaken and bounced around like ice-cubes in a martini mixer as the damn things traversed the hills and training areas of Camp Pendleton. I was always on the verge of throwing up.

Fortunately we did a lot more work in helos than tracks. I hated helos too, after a few close calls, but at least they weren't amtracks.

The only time I ever threw up from this sort of thing was when I was in a broken down LCAC with no fresh air in rough seas.

[rcbusmc24]

Rode a track into Iceland in the north atlantic winter..... 1800 hundred meters turned into 3 miles due to lateral drift and sea state...Luckily I was in the TC hatch (up front looking out the top), all my dudes in the back were awash in a sea of vomit...Hopefully never again.

The new vic is being phased in, there is talk that once it gets its 30 mm cannon that it could replace the LAV's as well, LAR is facing a restructuring, HQMC wants to create a scout MOS that will feed both the Recon community and what is currently LAR along with into the Rifle BN's replacing what the Scout Sniper platoons do now, Think much how the Army has Cav Scouts but..... Marines I guess... Part of the reason has do do with Infantry career progression, Dudes who start out in the above mentioned communities tend to have issues once they catch orders to a regular infantry BN as what they did before is not really the same.... I can do more on this if you all are interested.

New vehicle aside, I still think opposed beach landings are a really hard sell, and probably not a realistic COA anymore, these new vics do go slightly faster, and once ashore move quicker and into more places than a track can, but they eat tires. The last ITX showed a consumption rate in the terrain out there that was unreal. At times it limited maneuverability of the units due to needed repairs. They were ripping tires off of deadlined vics to keep the others moving, so a concern for me if out with a expeditionary unit in austere conditions.

Operating them on ship and out of a green well is only slightly faster due to wheels vice tracks but since the well deck can be basically dry, and that is the same for tracks launch time is similar, Recovery is about the same though, and has to be done with a wet well. Fastest way in will still be moving them via LCAC but that is a time/ space / crew rest (both craft and ship)/ flight deck hour algorithm that has to be worked out and is thus the reason that the USMC still wants vehicles that can take themselves ashore.

[Stephanie B]

It's so old that the junior enlisted Marines of today are riding around in the same AMTRACs that their grandfathers did.

B-52 pilots' response: "Hold my beer."

[DDTSGM]

B-52 pilots' response: "Hold my beer."

As an aside a wiki search revealed this list of currently operated aircraft that probably would have some grandsons flying them:

B-52 = 1955; C-130 = 1956; KC-135 = 1957; U-2 = 1957; UH1 = 1959 (USAF apparently still has some as trainers); T-38 = 1961:CH-47 = 1962; F-5 = 1962; P3 = 1962; TH47(JetRanger) = 1962; C2/E2 = 1964

[LittleLebowski]

And that is when I would freak the fuck out. I think I saw too many sinking sub or ship movies.

[rcbusmc24]

Pretty sure that video is off of Okinawa launching toward Camp Schwab. That water is too clean and calm to be here in Lejeune, plus we don't have a water tower... and you can see some big F'ing mountains ahead of you when you hit Pendleton.

I'm gonna miss doing amphibious stuff once I retire, as sometimes I get the feeling that I'm the only guy in the Marine Corps who actually likes being at sea....

[TOTS]

Pretty sure that video is off of Okinawa launching toward Camp Schwab. That water is too clean and calm to be here in Lejeune, plus we don't have a water tower... and you can see some big F'ing mountains ahead of you when you hit Pendleton.

I'm gonna miss doing amphibious stuff once I retire, as sometimes I get the feeling that I'm the only guy in the Marine Corps who actually likes being at sea....

Nah, there’s a couple of Sgts Maj who are also suffering from Stockholm syndrome and want to get aboard the next LHD going out! Solid info in your above post. Except H-53s are the premier ship to shore movers!!

[Hot Sauce]

The new vic is being phased in, there is talk that once it gets its 30 mm cannon that it could replace the LAV's as well, LAR is facing a restructuring, HQMC wants to create a scout MOS that will feed both the Recon community and what is currently LAR along with into the Rifle BN's replacing what the Scout Sniper platoons do now, Think much how the Army has Cav Scouts but..... Marines I guess... Part of the reason has do do with Infantry career progression, Dudes who start out in the above mentioned communities tend to have issues once they catch orders to a regular infantry BN as what they did before is not really the same.... I can do more on this if you all are interested.

Please do. I have not read about this, and it sounds interesting.

[ranger]

I was very happy when we quit swimming the Bradley IFVs.

[LittleLebowski]

Pretty sure that video is off of Okinawa launching toward Camp Schwab. That water is too clean and calm to be here in Lejeune, plus we don't have a water tower... and you can see some big F'ing mountains ahead of you when you hit Pendleton.

I'm gonna miss doing amphibious stuff once I retire, as sometimes I get the feeling that I'm the only guy in the Marine Corps who actually likes being at sea....

#RackOps